Zeidler Architects Designed Most Expensive House Ever Sold in Calgary

Mike Vernon's Elbow Park Home Sells for $10.3 Million

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Aug. 27, 2009) - Zeidler Architects designed and oversaw construction of Mike Vernon's 12,700 square-foot home in Elbow Park, which just sold for a record $10.3 Million in Calgary. The sale price of this home is the highest ever for a residential sale in Calgary real estate sale, easily overcoming the 2008 record of $7.5 Million for a home sold in Crescent Heights. The former Calgary Flames goaltender and his wife commissioned Zeidler Architects to design their home in 2002 and construction was completed in 2006.

"Working with the Vernons was a privilege," says Stephen Carruthers, Managing Partner of Zeidler Architects' Western Offices, headquartered in Calgary on 17th Avenue and 2nd Street SW. "Jane Vernon had done piles of research and knew exactly what she wanted. She was the perfect client." Carruthers adds that Jane initially wanted a rustic French country residence on the river, "but that isn't what she ended up with." As design continued she became enamoured with a more urban style of French architecture, which is exemplified in the home's final design.

The finished house included a sweeping staircase with hand-wrought balustrades in the entry hall, antique French fireplaces in the major rooms acquired from various trips to Paris and a generous French Country kitchen with beamed ceilings and a herbarium overlooking the croquet lawn and dining terrace, limestone flooring and spectacular cabinetry.
"Just about every element of that house was created by hand by remarkable craftsmen," says Carruthers.

The Zeidler-designed home features a stunning arrival court open to the river which focuses on a wrought-iron and glass entry door. There is a central interior courtyard that catches the southern sunlight and a stunning master suite designed to maximize views to the river. The home even features a floor-hockey rink on the lower level.

"The Vernons were in complete agreement that only natural materials would be used," says Carruthers, adding that this included the building's slate roofs, copper flashing and rainwater leaders and locally quarried sandstone.

"We worked closely with Stephen and his designers and were incredibly impressed by the team's creativity and attention to detail," says Mike Vernon. "The Zeidler team allowed our vision to be realized in a way that we could never have captured without their insight." Vernon adds that working with Zeidler Architects created significant value for this home.

"This sale confirms that people have an immense amount of confidence in the Alberta economy, and specifically in Calgary, and that this city's old, inner-city neighbourhoods with their tree-lined streets will always retain and gain in value," says Carruthers.